WCIRB Wire

WCIRB Releases Report on Losses and Expenses For Calendar Year 2012

The WCIRB has released its report on workers' compensation losses and expenses for 2012. The report is prepared annually pursuant to Section 11759.1 of the California Insurance Code.

Among the findings included in the report:

Medical losses paid in 2012 were $4.8 billion, or 60% of total loss payments. Of these payments, $1.7 billion were paid to physicians for medical treatment, $1.3 billion were payments made directly to injured workers (mostly for future medical), $0.9 billion were paid to hospitals, $0.4 billion were paid to pharmacies, and $0.2 billion were paid for medical-legal reports.

The total cost of medical cost containment programs in 2012 was $412 million. This compared to $382 million in 2011 and only $226 million in 2006.